Spirit
by GoNeRoGuE98
Summary: One-shot. Dimitri has always loved watching her. She was so beautiful. You never got tired of her. Her smile that lit up an entire room, her eyes that crinkled with laughter at her own jokes. He would never tire of watching her.


Over the years it had become impossible for Dimitri to stifle his smiles whenever Rose was involved. Whether because she had made one of her witty quips or because she just took his breath away. Either way, Dimitri didn't even try to prevent his smile as she ran anxiously around the living room, kicking children toys out of the way in her wild search for her cell phone.

"Ugh!" She cried, flinging the throw pillow back into the couch, "Ivan where is my cell!"

"I don't know Mom! It's your phone, not mine!" The fifteen year old boy replied back, rolling his eyes as he walked into the room, "I'm going to be late for school, again!"

"No," she huffed, panting from the exertion of roaming the entire bottom level of the suburban house, "You will not be."

Ivan rolled his eyes once more, leaving the room with a muttered, "Yeah whatever."

Rose's brown eyes flashed irritably after him, "So freaking sassy."

A throaty chuckle sounded from behind her matching Dimitri's own laugh, "Well I wonder where he got that from."

Rose glared at Adrian, "Shut up. Have you seen my phone?"

He blew smoke from his cigar in her direction, "Sorry little dhampir, no dice."

She clutched her hair, "Jesus Christ!"

He tsked at her, "Don't use the Lord's name in vain."

She tossed him a dry look, "Beat it Ivashkov."

He chuckled nonetheless, "Checked your pocket?"

Rose shot him an unimpressed look, "Of course I ha -"

Her hand stilled inside her back right pocket, and her lips tightened into a dumbfounded expression, "You have got to be kidding me."

Adrian laughed, raking his hand through his hair. Rose huffed as she raked her long brown hair into a ponytail before snatching her keys off the hook and grabbing her stake, "Ivan, let's go now!"

"About time," he muttered, waltzing down the stairs with his bookbag flung across his shoulder.

"Watch it, little man," she ordered, maternal affection nevertheless softening her eyes as she looked at him, her personal miracle, "Get in the car."

"Can I drive?" He begged, familiar brown eyes wide with hope.

Rose laughed before she deadpanned, "In your dreams. Passenger seat. Now."

He huffed, tossing his bag into the back seat before he strapped on his seatbelt, and Rose hit the gas pedal swerving out of the driveway. She hadn't been joking when she'd said that Ivan wouldn't be late for school again. She was determined to get him there on time. Dimitri's own heart stuttered with nerves as she swerved in and out of traffic. Rose's eyes briefly met his when she glanced into the rearview mirror.

She had that look of fierce determination in her eyes, similar to the look he'd seen when he'd first met her in Portland. Oh yes, their son would definitely be on time.

"Careful Roza," he murmured as she blew threw a yellow light, "It's not worth anyone's life."

"Mom!" Ivan yelped in the same moment as she took another sharp turn onto the street his school was located, "Careful!"

"It's fine," she snapped, braking to stop in front of the lobby's entrance. Students milling around froze as the infamous Rose Hathaway stepped out of the car and guided her son to the sidewalk, "Remember you're going over to Lissa's after school, alright?"

"Yeah," he said, "I know."

"Good," she said, and smirked as she tweaked his cheeks, "Have a awesome day sweetie!"

Then with a devious smirk shot his way she sashayed back into the car as an uproar of boyish laughter followed her departure.

Rose snickered as Dimitri muttered, "That was mean Roza."

"That'll teach him to be sassy to me in the morning," she muttered, pulling away from the school in a much more rational manner than when she had arrived.

* * *

><p>"Good morning Rose!" Lissa called as Rose entered the treasure room where Lissa sat elegantly in the throne chair.<p>

"Hey Liss," Rose sighed yawning as she dropped onto the stairs below Lissa. Three year old Rhea Dragomir-Ozera squealed with delight at the sight of her aunt.

"Auntie Ro!" She cooed, falling to Rose's awaiting arms.

"Hey princess," Rose grinned, her hand cradling the infant's blonde locks, "How are you this fine morning?"

Rhea giggled, "Good. Daddy made smiley face pancakes for Erik and I."

Rose gasped in feigned astonishment, "And you didn't save me any?"

Rhea giggled before proudly answering, "Nope!"

Rose pouted, "Well I'll just have to teach you a lesson!"

Instantly Rose stood, flying Rhea through the air before her lips met the little girl's tummy and she blew raspberries onto the soft flesh. Rhea shrieked with delight, and Dimitri's eyes flickered to Lissa's who smiled softly, a tenderness so meaningful that a lump formed in Dimitri's throat.

"Rose Hathaway," Lissa said smiling at the paperwork on her lap, "Who would've thought you'd be so brilliant with children?"

Rose smiled softly yet sadly, "All thanks to Dimitri, Liss. All thanks to him."

Dimitri let out an emotional sigh, his eyes latched onto the beautiful love of his life, "I love you so much Roza."

"How are you?" Lissa asked, her eyes trained on Rose to catch any sort of lie.

Rhea wandered off to her doll, the serious turn in the conversation falling onto deaf ears.

Rose shrugged, grasping the hilt of her stake at the base of her hip, "I'm alright."

"The anniversary isn't even a month away," Lissa sighed, "I can't believe he's been gone for fourteen years."

Rose cleared her throat, and turned away as tears threatened her vision, "Me neither, but I'm grateful every day for Ivan. He's so much like Dimitri, Lissa. You can't possibly understand how much that means to me. The one year we had as a complete family will always hold a special place in my heart."

"And Adrian?" Lissa asked softly.

Rose smiled, "I love him. I do. And he knows that. Just like he knows that I'll never be able to love him the way I loved Dimitri. He was my one and only. But I still have our son, and for now that's good enough for me."

Lissa smiled, "I'm sure he's watching over you Rose. And he's so proud of the way you've raised your little boy."

Rose smiled, "I hope so."

Dimitri felt the familiar pull, and he sighed as he took the last lingering look on Rose. He loved her. He loved watching her, especially now in the afterlife. Just like when he'd been alive, being near her brought him inexplicable peace.

A wrinkled hand grabbed his, and he turned to see Yeva smiling at him, "Come on Dimka. It's time. You'll see her again tomorrow."

Dimitri nodded glancing back at Rose, now smiling once more as she stroked Rhea's cheek, "I love you Roza. So much."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_ I read a fanfiction earlier about Dimitri being somewhere between heaven and earth, and this idea popped into my mind. Bittersweet, yeah? Leave a review and tell me what you think! _

_- Hannah_


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